10-14-2008 5:49 PM — In his first-ever meeting with the school board tonight, Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas said he has a "deep concern" about the "ability and commitment" of Metro Nashville Public Schools to be proactive in addressing truancy issues.
"Unfortunately, for our police officers and for Judge [Betty Adams] Green's staff at Juvenile Court, we cannot provide due diligence from our end if attendance data is not accurate. We need you to immediately embrace this issue," Serpas said. "Ladies and gentlemen, an unacceptable number of the juveniles arrested by our officers for truancy were marked present either the whole day, or at the time they were arrested off campus."
Serpas said the work of the police department to reduce truancy, as well as the success of the recently established Metro Attendance Center, hinges at least in part on accurate attendance data being taken at Metro schools.
After the meeting, he said it is his goal to let school board members know that they have "some responsibility" in the event that, for example, daytime robberies increase in a particular part of town. The department has been "raising heck" with the administration about this issue for more than a year, though he had never before addressed the board.
School board chair David Fox thanked Serpas for addressing the board, but said that "commitment" is present on the part of both the board and the district administration.
"These are issues the school board takes very seriously," Fox said. "I'm sure the board is committed, and I know the administration is quite committed." Interim Director of Schools Chris Henson has been "very serious" about making his expectations clear this year, Fox added.
Law enforcement and juvenile court officials have said repeatedly that it is the responsibility of the district to ensure attendance records are accurate. Attendance-taking in the district has been recognized as a problem, and Metro schools officials said last spring that progress has been made in improving attendance records.
In the 2006-2007 school year, more than 25,000 Nashville students were considered truancy cases, according to MNPS attendance data. Under Tennessee state law, a student is considered truant after five days of unexcused absences.
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools | 
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